If it's all I ever do
by CindyBaby
Summary: "When they carve my name in stone, at least i know they'll know,that in this life I made mistakes, but I did one thing right". Song's not mine.


**Feeling angsty tonight. It's raining and it's been kind of a rough day in a way, but it's a bit lighter at the end, and I'm in a better mood. I don't own four brothers or the song which inspired this story, the song is "If it's all I ever do" by Anders Johansson. **

"You can't do stuff like that Bobby" Jack's young voice filled the room, the sadness lingering just underneath.

Bobby sighed and looked down on his youngest brother, well his hair, since he'd refused to meet his eyes since Bobby came in. He knew he'd fucked up, but what was he supposed to do? Jack was a small kid, and thinner than a nail. If he didn't take care of him then who would? Even if the person in this case was a social worker rather than a bully.

"Evelyn is really mad at you" Jack continued "She didn't say so, but I know she is".

Oh I know... "She'll get over it" Bobby spoke lowly. He was sad that he'd disappointed his Ma, again, but he'd just lost his temper, again. He'd been on edge since last week when Evelyn had gotten a call from social services. Bobby knew she wanted to adopt Jack and had filed the necessary paperwork for it, but then the call came and suddenly something that had seemed like such a sure thing suddenly wasn't. All because of some relative in Texas. They hadn't gotten a hold of the person yet, so it wasn't even sure they wanted Jack, or even could care for Jack. Point was Bobby didn't know them, and just the thought of someone he didn't know taking care of Jack made his skin crawl. He didn't know them, but he hated them already. So he'd snapped when the social worker had come over with her nose in the air and the way she had looked at him like he would steal her purse if she let it out of her sight. He'd told them what he thought of the _help _they'd provided Jack with so far, and then it all just went astray. Evelyn had entered just as he told the bitch to get the fuck out of his house. The rest was, as the say, history.

"I don't want to leave" Jack mumbled, his hands shaking where he'd wrapped them around his knees.

"You're not leaving" Bobby told him "Hey look at me" he added when a tear landed on Jack's jeans. Jack lifted his head for the first time since Bobby had taken a seat on his bed. The fear in those young eyes made Bobby's heart clench in his chest. "You're not leaving" He stated again, even more firmly.

"You can't promise that" Jack mumbled, his voice breaking a little as another tear made his way down his cheek. "Don't promise things".

Fuck. Bobby knew all about broken promises, and he knew how much they hurt. "Well how about this then, if you have to leave, we'll leave together okay?"

"What if they don't want you in Texas?" Jack asked hesitantly.

Bobby snorted, he was pretty sure they didn't want him in Texas, but that wasn't what he meant. "I meant that if you have to leave, we'll leave for some other place".

Jack's eyes which had again been focusing on his torn jeans looked up. "Where would we go? Isn't that illegal?"

Sometimes Jack was so innocent and naïve that Bobby's heart swelled, other times it terrified him. And yeah, where would they go... "Panama. We'll go to Panama".

"Why?" Jack squinted at him, but at least he wasn't crying anymore.

"Because even if the cops know where we are they can't get to us. No extradition laws" Bobby stated a bit proudly.

"What about Evelyn? And Angel and Jerry?" Jack asked.

"They can come too, not right away, but later we'll call them and tell them where to go" After Ma has calmed down and remembers that she loves me, he added silently to himself.

Jack frowned. "I don't think Angel want to leave Sofi here".

Bobby groaned. No he knew his brother wouldn't leave that harpy behind. "Well it's a big country, I'm sure we can dump her somewhere. Or if we're lucky she'll get stuck in customs with all the shit she's wearing".

"What shit?"

"She calls it jewellery, but I know shit when I see it"

Jack nodded thoughtfully. He was silent for awhile before he spoke again, so softly that Bobby had ask 'what' just to hear him. "But this is your home Bobby, and your family".

He sounded so grown up when he said things like that. And they all knew, even Jack, especially Jack, how important home was when you hadn't had one before. Not a real one at least. And he was right, this was his home, his family. The people he would die for, kill for, but... Jack was his family too. How could he explain to him the responsibility he felt for him, how letting him go would break him, how he'd die if anything ever happened to him. _The first time that you spoke my name, it somehow sounded not the same, was like I knew from that moment on, that this is what I'm living for, faith had opened up the door... _"Your my family too Jack, and I promised you I would always take care of you, and that's what I'm gonna do".

Jack's heart suddenly felt to big for his chest, and he wondered if this was real. Had he really found a family that was willing to fight for him like this? He was pretty sure he didn't deserve it. "What if something happens to you?" His greatest fear wasn't for his own safety anymore, now it was about his brother, and the rest of his family. Even if they weren't. But Bobby had said so, not a minute ago, that he was his family too.

Bobby chuckled and threw an arm around Jack's bony shoulders. "Nothings gonna happen to me Jackie, don't worry, don't you know who I am?"

A smile slowly spread across Jack's face. "Your Bobby Mercer".

"That's right kid" And if something were to happen that would be fine too, as long as your okay.

_When they carve my name in stone, at least I know they'll know, that in this life I made mistakes  
but I did one thing right..._

**I'm not sure about extradition laws regarding kidnapping a minor, but hey, I guess Bobby would ****have found out for himself if they'd ever had to go to Panama, which for anyone wondering, they didn't. ****Turns out Jack's relative in Texas had no interest in him and they lived happily ever after. Would have been kind of fun to see Bobby and Jack in Panama tho right lol? Got the idea of Panama from Prison Break as some might have guessed. But wasn't sure about the timeline and therefore didn't mention it in the story.**


End file.
